


Silver Dreaming

by Samsonet



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:48:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22337287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samsonet/pseuds/Samsonet
Summary: It’s 2015. Professor Kukui is forming a league, and he wants Raihan to be its champion.Raihan… considers it.
Relationships: Kibana | Raihan & Kukui-hakase | Professor Kukui
Comments: 28
Kudos: 75





	1. Wednesday

**Author's Note:**

> _I do what many dream of, all their lives._
> 
> Andrea del Sarto, by Robert Browning

Raihan doesn’t know what this meeting is about.

The challenge season is over for the year. It went well, so there’s no reason to have a private meeting about it. Raihan hasn’t done anything inappropriate on social media, so it can’t be that. It might be about the project Rose is starting in the energy plant, but if that were the case, why hold the meeting in Rose Tower instead of Hammerlocke?

He steps in the conference room with just the tiniest bit of anxiety in his stomach.

Rose is there, of course, sitting at the other side of the table. Oleana is at his right hand, a pad of paper before her.

On the side nearest to Raihan, a man in a lab coat sits with his back to the door. He turns around.

And. Wow. His _abs._ Raihan was not expecting to see that today, but he’s not complaining. This guy works out. He’s even got a sexy scar right on his waist.

_Focus, Rai, his eyes are up there._

The man has attractive eyes. He’s got a handsome face in general, actually, which makes it hard for Raihan to find a place to direct his gaze. He looks all over, from the man’s eyes to his arms to the tiny box in his hand to —

— to the wedding ring on his finger. Well. That solves that problem, at least.

“Thanks for your patience,” Raihan says, purely out of politeness. He takes a seat halfway between Rose and the man.

Rose smiles. “Now that we’re all here, allow me to introduce you. Professor, this is Raihan, Hammerlocke’s gym leader. Raihan, this is Professor Kukui. He’s Alola’s leading researcher, but today he’s here representing the Alola League.”

“The… what?”

Kukui laughs. “That’s what most people say. It’s a work in progress! But it’s coming along, yeah, like a Solarbeam!”

“...if I may. Raihan, the Alola region is a beautiful place. I’m sure you’ve seen pictures of it online. It has plentiful natural resources, as well as a rich culture that produces many strong trainers. Unfortunately, those trainers are often overlooked by the rest of the world. Professor Kukui is aiming to change that, and you might be able to help him.”

“How?”

“Let me ask you something first, cousin,” Kukui says, leaning forward. “You’re of Alolan descent, right?”

Raihan is mildly confused at the word ‘cousin.’ He’s pretty sure they’re not related. Is it the Alolan version of ‘mate,’ maybe? And it’s kind of rude to just ask about someone’s ethnicity, too...

Regardless, he answers: “My mum’s Alolan, but she’s been living in Galar for the past thirty years. Why?”

The professor grins. There’s a gleam in his eye. “It’s like this. Alola’s a pretty traditional place. We’re setting up a league, but there’s a lot of politics, you know? We have the trial captains, and I’ve got the Elite Four planned out, but there’s still one more spot that needs to be filled. The most important one.”

The most important one… Raihan has no clue what a trial captain is, and he’s only vaguely familiar with the concept of the Elite Four, but there’s no doubt what the last position is.

“Raihan, I would like to formally ask you to become Alola’s first Champion.”

He really just said that. He really did.

Raihan knows he’s good. He’s the eighth gym leader in one of the most competitive leagues in the world. He’s got a win-loss ratio better than almost any trainer of the past twenty years. People tell him all the time that he could be champion of another region.

He didn’t expect anyone to straight up _offer it_.

Kukui seems to take his silence as a bad sign, because he speaks quickly: “Alola is a paradise, yeah! It’s summer all year round, and everywhere is full of amazing Pokémon and people. I know it’ll be a bit of a culture shock, coming from Galar, but I know you’ll be great there.”

“I’m not saying no. It’s just — I have contracts. The league has me for another two years, and my sponsors—”

“None of that will be any problem at all,” Rose says. He explains to Kukui, “In addition to running the league, I happen to own the company that sponsors Hammerlocke Stadium. If Raihan wants to leave, it will be no trouble to release him.”

“So… that’s good, right?”

They both look at Raihan expectantly.

There’s more going on here than what they’re telling him. There has to be. Why else would Rose be so agreeable to sending away his strongest gym leader? What could Professor Kukui possibly be offering that would make a deal like that make sense?

“Can I have some time to think about it?”

“Of course! I’m in Galar for the rest of the week. Of course, I’ll give you my number, so you can call me when you decide. Oh! You should have this, too.”

He hands over the box. Inside is… a bracelet. It has several blue beads on a thick wire. The centerpiece is a white stone, thick and flat, with a glittering blue crystal on top. The band closes with a hook-and-eye clasp. Raihan expects it to be too small, but to his surprise, it fits comfortably on his wrist.

“That’s a Z-Ring, yeah. It’s how we in Alola use our Z-Moves! I can teach you how to use them, so just give me a call when you’re ready, okay?”

Z-Ring. Z-Moves. Dynamax band. Gigantamaxing. Every region has their twists on battle, right?

He wonders how long it’ll take to learn Alola’s style. He wonders if he’ll have to unlearn everything he’s learned about Galar in order to do it.

“Well, I believe that’s all we needed to discuss with you, Raihan. Oleana will walk you out.” And without waiting for them to actually leave, Rose turns back to Kukui. “Professor, have you considered the blueprints I sent you? What do you think?”

Oh, so _this_ is what the deal’s about? Raihan wants to wait here, listen in, have a say in all this.

Oleana taps his shoulder.

She is silent as they walk down the hallway. It’s only when they enter the lift that she speaks. 

“The chairman meant it when he said he would allow you to go,” she says. “He sees opportunities in Alola. Having you there would be helpful in establishing Galar as the region’s foremost ally.”

“Yeah, I got that. But it’s not as easy as just packing up and flying out, right? What about the stadium? What about… you know.”

“We can find another gym leader. They may not be as good as you, but they will be enough. And as for ‘you know’... Well, Nessa was one of your rivals during your gym challenge, wasn’t she? With you gone, she’ll most likely be the one victorious during the finals. She’ll be the champion’s greatest rival, then. It won’t take much to rewrite that story.”

The lift makes a soft noise as it descends.

“It sounds like Rose really wants me to go, then. Do I have a choice here?”

“You do. You’re equally valuable if you stay, you know. As long as you give the offer serious consideration, the chairman will be satisfied.” She looks at him out of the corner of her eye. “If I may offer some advice… please take your time before giving the professor an answer.”

In other words: string him along until the last moment, so he’ll be willing to give Rose whatever he wants.

But Raihan knows that’s not a fair way to characterize it. It’s not Rose’s fault his secretary is so damn creepy. The guy is probably just excited at the idea of starting another league, at having one of _his_ leaders at its beginning. There’s nothing malicious about that.

“I understand.”

*

There’s only one place he can go: back to the gym.

The place seems so normal, considering where he’d just come from. The league staff greet him the same way as always; his gym trainers are practicing, the same as always.

“Camilla, Aria, Sebastian. Let’s have a huddle real quick, okay? There’s something I have to tell you.”

The three of them look concerned, but they follow him into the small conference room without protest.

“So, I had a meeting with the chairman this morning.”

Sebastian blurts, “Is this about what we did to the Circhester Stadium?”

Camilla and Aria glare at him, the universal sisterly expression of _shut your damn mouth._

“...no, this is not about the Circhester Stadium, and I am going to pretend you did not say that because I do not want to know what you guys did to the Circhester Stadium. Nah, this was a… Well, a job offer.” He takes a deep breath, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Alola’s setting up a league. They want me to be its champion.”

They all stare, wordless. Raihan hates it. Do they not think he’s good enough? Or worse — do they think he’ll take the offer and hop over to Alola without a second thought?

“Talk to me.”

Camilla takes off her glasses, wiping them with her shirt. It’s a nervous habit of hers. “That’s… that’s wonderful. You deserve it.”

Good. That’s good. “But…?”

Sebastian frowns. “But what about _us_ , Rai?”

“Yes, Leader Raihan,” Aria says, “Of course we are happy for you, but there’s so much to consider. If Hammerlocke gets a new gym leader, there’s no guarantee they will keep us around.”

“Oh, don’t be like that. I’ve got some pull with Rose; if I leave, I’ll make sure he guarantees you guys get to stay as long as you need. And it’s still an ‘if.’ I haven’t decided whether I’m actually going.”

His trainers nod, but say nothing.

He sighs. “That was all I needed to say. You can go back to what you were doing.”

They leave, all of them giving him one last look before stepping out. Raihan closes the door behind them and locks it. Then he sits down and leans back, putting his legs up on the table.

Hey, his gym, his rules.

The only thing on his schedule for the next month is an exhibition match with Nessa, so he can afford to slack off for an hour. Especially if he’s doing research.

He googles _famous Alolan trainers_.

The first non-paid result is a listing of the top ten trainers of Alolan descent. Raihan is surprised to find himself listed as number two, right behind an Elite Four member from Hoenn. Number three is Professor Kukui, which is also surprising, then some golfer named Kahili and several other trainers from different regions.

As he reads what each trainer has been doing recently, Raihan realizes that, besides Kukui, none of the people listed actually lives in Alola. Some of them are like him, children of Alolan parents, but a lot of them were born in Alola and just… left.

He wonders why.

Searching _Professor Kukui_ brings up some academic articles on various types of moves. Most of them are about Z-Moves, but he’s also written one on moves that are only effective in double- or triple-battles. Raihan adds that to his reading list.

The Images tab shows a lot of pictures of Kukui’s abs. Which. Is understandable. But not relevant right now, much as Raihan would love to take some time to fully appreciate them.

He scrolls through, quickly.

Hang on, is that…

It’s a picture of a younger-looking Kukui next to _fricking dragon master Lance._

The picture links to an article in Kantonian, but there’s a convenient “translate page” button.

_Kukui, a trainer from the carefree Alola region, defeated Champion Lance in a fierce battle Tuesday…_

It goes on about Kukui’s team, his studies, his journey through Kanto.

When asked why someone from Alola would travel so far just to participate in the gym challenge, Kukui says, _“Alola doesn’t have a league of its own, so a lot of trainers don’t feel like they can get stronger there. But Alola’s trainers are the strongest in the world… I want to prove that. That’s my dream, you know?”_

Heh. He sounds almost like —

Nevermind who. Raihan thinks about that interview. 

There’s a lot that a Champion does. Winning battles is just the foundation. They have to protect their region. They have to be experts in their region’s culture and history. And above all, they have to inspire pride. They have to be the kind of person that their region’s citizens will brag about, will trust completely, will love.

Would Alola’s people be proud of a Galarian import? Professor Kukui seems to imply so, but at this point he could just be desperate. Even so…

Being the eighth gym leader is nice. It gives Raihan a place to call his own, keeps him busy, keeps him from growing bored. He gets fanatic adoration every day, both in person and online. If he left, it wouldn’t be for the ego boost.

If he left, it would be because he truly believed he could represent Alola. He could master their battle style, show it off to the world, work with the professor and help raise a generation of young trainers who would reach even farther than he could.

The more he thinks about it, the more appealing it is.

He runs his fingers on the Z-Ring. Every stone is irregularly shaped, like the designer chose them for how they would feel rather than how they’d look. Somehow that makes the bracelet seem even more stylish. It’s comfortable around his wrist, like he was meant to wear it.

His Dynamax band never felt like that.

He pulls out the card with Kukui’s number on it and sends a text: _Hey, it’s Raihan. I’d like to learn how to use a z move. I have some time tomorrow morning at 9. Can u meet me at Hammerlocke stadium?_

The reply comes immediately: _Of course!_

_Sweet. I’ll tell my ppl to let you in._

Raihan stands, sliding his phone in his pocket.

So this is it, then.


	2. Thursday

That night, Raihan has a dream.

He’s on a rocky mountain, the highest point in Alola. The sun shines down on him, warm on his skin. His heart is racing. There’s a grin on his face.

He’s battling someone — he doesn’t know who — and it’s exhilarating. Flygon rushes across the battlefield like a shooting star. Whatever his opponent does, Raihan is one step ahead. He is _winning_ and it is _glorious._

On the other side of the battlefield, his opponent smiles.

*

At nine exactly, Professor Kukui walks through the door.

He’s grinning, buzzing with the kind of excitement people usually get at their first time in a stadium. Raihan doesn’t get to witness that kind of emotion often; by the time challengers get to him, they’re usually used to the spotlights.

“I’m glad you asked me here,” Kukui says. “Z-Moves need a lot of space, so it’s hard to find places to really show ‘em off, you know?”

Raihan doesn’t know, but he nods anyway.

They stand at the center of the pitch, side by side.

“Now, Z-Moves have a long history in Alola and are critical to our culture… but I can give you the full report later. You’ve got the Dragonium-Z on your Z-Ring, yeah, so if you send out a Pokemon with a damaging dragon-type move, you can use the ultimate dragon move!”

“Really? I’ve never been fond of Draco Meteor, myself.” But he sends out Flygon all the same.

“No, not Draco Meteor. Devastating Drake. It’s even stronger — trust me, I measured it. Now! Watch me!”

Kukui proceeds to… make the strangest poses Raihan has ever seen, and that’s counting the Charizard pose _and_ dabbing.

“Can you copy that, cha— Raihan?”

With a shrug, he does. Let it never be said that the great Raihan does not have a good memory.

“Perfect! You got that like a Smart Strike! I knew you’d be a natural at this!” Kukui steps back, gesturing for Raihan to face the opposite end of the pitch. “Now, act like you’re in a regular battle. Do the pose, and channel the energy through you. And when you’re ready, command Flygon to use Devastating Drake!”

Either this is going to be the most humiliating experience ever, or it will be _epic._

Raihan closes his eyes.

He crosses his arms and flings them out.

Are his fingers really tingling, or is he just imagining it?

Hands forward, palms facing together, fingers curled. A dragon’s mouth. Dragons guard treasure. Dragons are wise and terrifying. Dragons get slain and the fairytale still ends happily ever after.

If he opened his eyes now, they’d be sharp, glaring. That happens when he’s worked up. He’s still not entirely sure how he does it.

His heart is racing. His arms feel hot, almost burning, like he’s holding the sun in his hands.

Alola is paradise. Alola is full of friendly people and strong Pokémon. Alola has a desert where there’s a sandstorm always raging, and a guardian deity lives there.

He opens his arms, the dragon’s maw. Flygon cries out.

Maybe Raihan is imagining it, but at that moment, he’s certain that he and Flygon are completely in sync. He feels his partner’s excitement, feels the sun on his scales, feels the power coursing through every atom of his body —

Flygon _roars._

Raihan roars, too.

**_“DEVASTATING DRAKE!”_ **

The power courses through him like nothing he’s ever felt before. He stumbles back at the force of it, almost falling over before being caught by Kukui. He tears his eyes open just in time to watch Flygon unleashing the _most awesome move he has ever seen_.

A gigantic purple light in the form of an amphipthere flies across the pitch. It spirals up, then plummets to earth at the spot where an opponent would have been.

It leaves a smoking crater in its wake.

Oh, Arceus. Arceus. Arceus.

Raihan’s shaking.

He’s gradually aware of Kukui’s voice. “Deep breaths, cousin. Deep breaths. In through your nose, out through your mouth.”

Deep breaths.

Deep breaths.

In and out.

It takes him a while, but Raihan recovers. When he comes back to his senses, he realizes that he did not, in fact, faint or even fall over. Somehow Kukui has kept him upright. There’s nearly thirty-six centimeters’ height difference between them. How strong _is_ this man?

“That was…” Raihan rubs his face. “I… man.”

“Intense, yeah? You did good. A Z-Move is powered by a trainer sharing their light with their Pokémon, so for yours to be so powerful on your first try… You’re amazing, Raihan! Exceptional!”

“Is it always this… draining?”

“Well, it’s like any other move, really. If you practice, it gets easier. You will practice, right?”

The Z-Ring glitters.

“...yeah. I’ll practice.”

“Great! If you want, I can call Kahuna Olivia later. She’s the one who made your Z-Ring. You’ll be working with her at the league.”

“If I become champion. If.”

Kukui’s smile falls, just the tiniest bit. “Still thinking about it, then?”

“Yeah. I am.” He’s not thinking clearly. This is a runner’s high, he knows that, and that means he’ll probably crash later, but… “Damn. That felt amazing. Thank you, Professor.”

“Anytime. Er… is there a place where you can lie down for a bit? You still look a bit unwell.”

“I’m fine. I’ll be fine. If you can just help me back into the main building, Sebastian can help me from there. I don’t want to keep you from your other plans.”

“Okay. If you’re sure.”

Kukui walks him back inside, and the gym trainers take him from there. Raihan lets himself be guided to a back room. He drinks water and lets himself rest.

Today had been put aside to train for his battle with Nessa, but he’s not sure if he can handle his usual routine right now. Instead, he lets himself replay the Z-Move in his mind. The dragon, the light, the raw power from a Pokemon who couldn’t even Gigantamax…

He imagines his next match against Melony. Maybe he’d switch things up a bit, send out Duraludon first and save Flygon for last. She would be confused, of course. The whole stadium would be. The commentators would wonder what in the world he was thinking. Melony would Gigantamax her Lapras and wait for him to do the same with Flygon, but then he’d reveal his Z-Ring and unleash a Devastating Drake, and maybe he’d finally beat her for once.

He’ll have a match against her sometime next year. It’s more than enough time to get used to the move, to get accustomed to battling with it.

Next year —

No. Wait.

If he takes the offer, he won’t be part of Galar’s league by next year. He might never get the chance to battle Melony or Nessa or Piers or Milo again.

It’s… a shame.

But that’s what happens when you grow, right? Sometimes you have to part ways with people you used to know. He hasn’t battled Sonia in years, after all, and he doesn’t miss _her_. 

Most of the time, at least.

*

A couple hours later, he’s recovered enough to head back out. His trainers seem relieved to see him. Raihan helps them finish repairing the pitch, then goes over their training.

At the end of the day, he goes home.

Sonia and Nessa are waiting at his door. Sonia’s holding a six-pack of soda in one hand and a bag of takeaway in the other. The food smells delicious.

“Glad you two could make it,” Raihan says, letting them in.

He doesn’t have to tell them to make themselves at home. They do it themselves, getting the fluffy blankets out of his closet and pulling out the folding table for the food. Nessa turns on the telly and sets it on mute. Raihan grabs the Leon Jar from the top of the fridge. It still has a few coins in it from last time.

They settle in, lounging on the floor. Sonia brought their favorites, as she always does: potato curry for herself, coconut curry for Nessa, bone curry for Raihan.

Sonia’s always been good at remembering things like that.

They meet up like this once a month, alternating who brings the refreshments and whose house they go to. They never really planned for it to become a thing. It just did.

There are rules, though.

Well, just one. Don’t mention Galar’s champion.

Usually, that’s not too hard. But if Raihan tells them about the offer…

He keeps quiet, at first.

Nessa’s talking about the maintenance plans for the lighthouse. Sonia’s concerned about how it’s weathering the summer storms.

“I don’t remember them being that harsh last year.”

Nessa shrugs. “Climate change. But the lighthouse will be okay. It’s been here for a hundred years, it’ll last a hundred more.”

“I hope so. I love that place.”

“Same. Hey, Raihan, you control the weather, right? Make it sunny around Hulbury for me, okay?”

Make it sunny. Like he holds the sun in his arms.

“Sonia,” he says. “Your gran is meeting with some guy from Alola, right?”

“Yeah, Professor Kukui. How’d you know?”

He takes a bite. “Mm… I might’ve spoken to him. Did he mention anything about the Alola league?”

She furrows her eyebrows. “I don’t think Alola has a league, Rai. They’re pretty traditional.”

“Yeah.”

Nessa sips her soda, looking him in the eyes. “Got something you want to share with the class, Raihan?”

“...if I tell you, you have to keep this a secret.”

“I can do that. Sunny?”

“My lips are sealed.”

Raihan leans forward. “Alola doesn’t have a league right now, but they’re setting one up. And Professor Kukui asked me to be the champion.”

As soon as he says it, he realizes how silly it must sound. He can’t take the title in Galar, and then all of a sudden someone from another region walks in and offers it, no strings attached? Ridiculous.

The girls don’t seem skeptical, though. They just look at him curiously.

Nessa asks, “But what about Leon?”

“Hey! You said his name!”

Nessa snorts, but puts a pound coin in the jar. Then, staring Sonia in the eyes, she puts in another. “Seriously, what about Leon? His rivalry with you is like half of the reason people come to watch his matches. Is Rose really going to let you off so easily?”

“I don’t know. Rose seemed pretty excited about it.” Raihan leans back. “Oleana said, too, that if I go, _you_ would be _that guy’s_ greatest rival.”

Nessa looks down. He knows that expression on her face: she’s imagining it. She usually loses to Raihan on the second round of the finals; with him gone, she’ll likely be the one facing He Who Must Not Be Named for the champion title. She’ll lose, of course, but as his new Greatest Rival she’ll be lifted from mere second gym leader to something higher. She’ll get the adoration, the respect, the sponsorships…

She deserves it all, honestly. He couldn’t pick a better person.

“Are you…” Her voice is hesitant. “Are you going to accept, then?”

“I’m still thinking about it. But honestly? The idea is kinda growing on me.”

“You’ll let us know before you leave, right? We have to throw you a party, and Gran will probably have things to ask you...”

“Sure, sure. Anything for Sunny’s granny, right? I haven’t accepted yet, though, so let’s not talk about what-ifs. Ness’ and I have a match to prepare for. There’s no way I’m going to lose!”

“Oh, just you wait!”

*

A couple hours later, they’re ready to call it a night. Nessa and Sonia share the guest room, as usual, and Raihan goes to his bedroom.

He turns on his phone and checks his notifications.

His last selfie, from yesterday morning outside Rose Tower, has six thousand likes. The comments section is full of questions about what he was doing there.

Nessa’s official account has some pictures from her latest shoot. He gives the post a like.

He scrolls through a while longer, but nothing else catches his interest. Still, he’s not quite ready to unplug yet.

He texts Piers. _U up?_

_Dark specialist, mate. I’m practically a Noctowl._

Then, before Raihan can type a reply, Piers sends another message: _Is this about the Alola championship?_

_How the fuck do u know about that?_

_Don’t ask and I won’t lie._  
_Okay, it’s like this:_  
_You were at Rose Tower. So was that professor. He’s been talking about looking for a champion._  
_It’s not hard to put two and two together._

He doesn’t like that. Piers is a good guy, but he’s from Spikemuth, and Spikemuth isn’t known for being quiet. And that’s not even mentioning how the rumor ended up reaching him in the first place…

_It was supposed to be a secret._

_I won’t tell anyone. Cross my heart._  
_The rumor is going to spread, though. You know how the tabloids are._  
_Promise you’ll let me know before you leave?_

There’s yet another person acting like he’s definitely leaving. Is there something in the way Raihan talks that makes them think he’s pretty much accepted the position?

_I havent decided that I’m going yet._  
_but I’ll tell you if I do_

Three dots appear, a signal of Piers typing.

He continues typing for five minutes.

It makes Raihan anxious.

At last, the message appears: _Have you thought about who’s going to take care of Sandaconda and Duraludon?_

_What?_

_Alola has a pretty limited dex, mate. I don’t know if you’ll be allowed to take them out of Galar._

Really?

He’d known Turtonator was native to Alola. He’d sort of assumed all the rest of his team would be allowed there, too.

Raihan fact checks this in this quickest way he knows how: googling it.

Turtonator, check. Goodra and Flygon lines, usually found on Ula’ula. Turkoal, also found on Ula’ula.

Sandaconda and Duraludon…

Not part of the dex. Not found in the region naturally. In other words: not allowed.

As the champion, Raihan could be an exception, right? Didn’t champions usually have exotic Pokémon on their teams? If he makes it a strict condition, there’s no way Kukui would refuse to let him bring his partners, right?

But that’s wishful thinking. Raihan knows his Pokémon well. He knows the Sandaconda line, in particular, could cause trouble if one somehow made its way into the wild.

So if he leaves, he’s going to play by the rules.

It probably rains a lot in Alola, he thinks. They won’t be happy there anyway.

He texts Piers: _I’ll probably ask Aria to take care of em._

He doesn’t want to think about how Piers is likely judging him on the other side. Raihan is selling out, and he knows it.

_Going to bed now. Talk to u tmrw._

Raihan sets his phone to Do Not Disturb, and tries to sleep.


	3. Friday

Do Not Disturb shuts off automatically at six in the morning. Raihan regrets this when he’s woken by the sound of a million text messages.

There are rules when it comes to messaging. One of those rules is that you _don’t text people before nine a.m._ unless it’s an emergency. Raihan glances at the notifications and finds nothing urgent about them. He’s not in the mood for this right now.

He leaves his phone on the bed and heads into the hallway. There’s a pot of coffee ready, and the scent fills the air like petrichor.

Nessa probably made it, like usual. She’s the best.

When Raihan arrives in the living room, coffee in hand, he finds Nessa doing her morning stretches as she usually does. Her hair is tied in a loose bun. She’s wearing the t-shirt and sweatpants she’d brought over last night to sleep in. She looks normal, like she’s not a supermodel and gym leader in her day jobs.

(Sonia is nowhere to be seen. She’s probably still asleep. No need to wake her; university doesn’t start again for another two weeks.)

“Wanna join me?” Nessa asks, pushing her legs into a perfect split.

Show off.

“You know I can’t do what you do.”

“You can do something basic. Don’t you stretch before you train?” She looks up at him, her eyes calm and deep. “It might be the last time we get the chance, Rai. Please?”

With a sigh, he gulps the rest of his coffee and sets the mug out of the way. Then he sits across from her and pulls one arm in front of his chest.

One, two, three…

Nessa says, offhandedly, “Milo taught me about thinning the other day.”

“Milo… taught you… about thinning?”

She rolls her eyes. “It’s a gardening thing. When you’ve got a bunch of seedlings together, sometimes you have to uproot some so the others have more space to grow.”

“Ah. So you’re saying that it might be time for a certain _golden flower_ to get uprooted so a certain _water lily_ has space, right?”

“It’s not like that, it’s — I mean…” Sighing, she pulls up one knee and pushes against her leg. “You leaving would really shake up the league. I stayed up last night thinking about it. I’ll be fine, I think. I’m flexible.”

 _You’ll be more than fine,_ Raihan thinks. _You’ll thrive._

Being flexible her thing, the way weather is his. It’s how she wins battles and how she wins at life. She moves through any situation like water, and his absence won’t make that any different.

He pulls up his leg, copying her pose. One, two, three...

She continues. “I wanted to be Hulbury’s gym leader since I was six years old. I wanted to be a model from the time I was fifteen. I wanted to be close to Sonia and Milo and you since the day I met you all. And I get to have all of that, because I’m flexible.”

“And now you’ll get even more. Congrats, Ness. You’ve earned it.”

She leans forward, stretching her back. “Did I, though?”

_Come on, Ness, don’t say it like that._

“Aw, are you having doubts? Come on, it’s supposed to be _my_ identity crisis here.” He says it with a grin, like it’s all a joke. But Nessa isn’t laughing.

“You wanted to be champion when you were a kid, didn’t you? Instead, you ended up a gym leader. You’ve just been treading water for the last ten years. I always knew you’d be heading to a bigger pond someday — to a place where you could really stretch your legs. I would just be taking advantage of that.”

Treading water. A bigger pond.

The league is supposed to be a place where dreams come true, if you’re strong enough, if you’re good enough. Everyone’s dreaming of something as they step in the stadiums.

It’s been a long time since Raihan has really thought about his own dreams.

What does he want? Not as the gym leader of Hammerlocke, not as the potential champion of Alola. Not as Leon’s rival or as Nessa’s friend.

What does he want?

To beat Leon?

To have battles where he can fully show off what his Pokémon can do?

He’d wanted to be Galar’s champion at one point, sure, but his goals aren’t as concrete anymore.

He wants validation. Adoration. Respect.

Will he get that in Alola? Does he honestly get that _here_?

Nessa leans to the side, almost bent over double. Raihan tries the same. He’s pretty sure he heard his back pop.

One, two, three...

“I think you should go,” she tells him. “Thin out the dandelions. Make some space for the golden flowers to grow like they’re supposed to.”

*

At seven-thirty he can’t pretend to be asleep anymore, so he checks his phone and gets ready for the day.

Piers was right about how quickly the news would spread. On Chattr, the words _Hammerlocke_ and _Alola Champion_ are trending. All his accounts are getting pinged.

It feels like everyone who’s ever had his number has sent something. His mum is mad that she had to find out about this from social media. Gordie and Milo give congratulations. Kabu and Melony ask if he’s really going. The reporters he’s given his number to — the ones he usually depends on to set the narrative he wants — are asking for a comment.

He apologizes to his mum and copy/pastes a “No comment as of now” to the reporters. He’ll reply to everyone else at lunchtime.

A new message pops up. It’s from Camilla.

_Angry fans outside the stadium. Disguise?_

He’ll take her word for it.

Raihan digs through his closet and brings out The Outfit.

It’s a league staff uniform, complete with a hat and sunglasses. Every gym leader has a couple of these uniforms, specifically tailored for them. Nobody looks twice at a lowly staff member, after all.

Raihan puts it on, tucks his hair under the cap, and slouches a little to hide his height. He puts his usual clothes in a duffel bag.

Passing by Nessa in the living room, he waves goodbye.

*

True to Camilla’s text, there is a crowd outside the gym. They’re chanting something, but he can’t quite make out what it’s supposed to be. He spots a sign reading OUR DRAGON TAMER and another that reads YOU BELONG TO HAMMERLOCKE.

Nobody seems to notice that their dragon master is standing there among them.

Raihan catches the attention of one of the fans, a young teen with an orange bow in her hair.

Making sure his sharp tooth doesn’t show, he asks: “What’s goin’ on?”

“You haven’t heard?” She stares at him with wide eyes. “Raihan got scouted by the Alola league! He’s leaving by the end of the year!”

“Really? That’s news to me. Has he confirmed it himself?”

“Well, no, but it only got leaked last night. Still! He’s leaving! Can you believe it? Like, I don’t have any problems with Alola — I’m half-Alolan, myself, actually — but it’s like, don’t they have any strong trainers there? Why do they have to take _our_ gym leader?”

As much emotional distance Raihan tries to keep between himself and his fandom, there’s something about the sincerity in the girl’s words that makes him pause. He was born and raised in Hammerlocke, after all. He’s its representative, its guardian. The people here have watched him grow; some have even grown beside him. One could say he’s like a brother, almost—

A blond woman gestures passionately in his face.

“Right?” She doesn’t seem to realize (or care?) that she’s interrupting a conversation. “They’ve got to have a hundred good trainers over there, but Leon only has one rival! What are we supposed to do without him?”

He sucks in air through his teeth.

He may be Hammerlocke’s older brother, but his family will always be more enamored with the cool kid from down the street.

“I’m sure you’ll be fine,” he says, and pushes through the crowd toward the gym.

*

He takes his time changing in the locker room.

It would be a lie to say that the fans’ words didn’t bother him. Leon has been part of his life ever since he was a kid; when Raihan does interviews, it’s only a matter of time before he gets a question about him. Their rivalry is a big part of Raihan’s public image, maybe even _the_ biggest part. The weather manipulator, the fashion icon, the selfie-obsessed influencer, the history geek — all are forgotten in favor of the label _Leon’s rival_.

He loves Leon, but there’s resentment there, too. That resentment came years ago, when Raihan realized that there was nowhere in Galar he could go to get away from Leon’s face.

Alola, on the other hand...

Alola is a warm region. There, they have an endless summer. Even when it rains, the sun is still shining. He’ll be happy there. He will.

Even if he has to leave two of his most trusted partners behind, it would be worth it, right?

It had to be.

Finally, Hammerlocke Gym Leader Raihan emerges in full uniform.

That’s the signal for his gym trainers to acknowledge him, so they do. Sebastian gives him the day’s weather forecast for the Wild Area. Camilla passes along a message from the gym’s sponsor. It’s all normal, routine things.

They’re in one of the training rooms when he decides to tell them.

“Aria?”

“Yes, Leader Raihan?”

“Can you do me a favor?”

And good old Aria, cautious as ever, says, “That would depend on the favor.”

She’s always been the sensible type, even from her earliest days at the gym. Out of the three, she’s the most skilled and the most dedicated. Raihan doesn’t play favorites, so he can admit that.

“I would like to ask you to care for Sandaconda and Duraludon for a while,” he says. “I can’t bring them to Alola.”

His trainers look at him with near-identical expressions of anxiety.

“I… Of course I will care for them,” Aria says. “I presume you are… truly leaving, then?”

He puts his hands in his pockets. There’s a weight on his chest, but even with deep breaths, he can’t dislodge it.

“Yeah. Yeah, I think I am.”

Sebastian rushes forward and hugs him. He’s got tears in his eyes. Seb’s always been sentimental like that.

Raihan allows the hug, gently patting his back.

Then, cautiously, Camilla and Aria join in the hug, too. It’s unprofessional of them, Raihan thinks, but in this case, it’s forgivable. They’ve been a part of his life for years. It’s natural that he’s going to miss them.

He doesn’t try to comfort them. He’s not sure he can, honestly.

What he finally says is, “I’ll have to tell Alola’s chairman by tomorrow. Keep it quiet for now, okay?”

*

The rest of the day passes quietly. Solemn, almost. Everyone’s acting like he’s going to _die_. Even his phone doesn’t provide a distraction: his notes are full of people tagging his accounts in the hope that he’ll give them the smallest hint of what he’s doing.

On the way home, he stops by the grocery store and buys a Pinap berry. He poses with it in front of the gym and takes a selfie, posting it with the caption _Tropical_.

Then he sets his phone to Do Not Disturb and lets the internet do its thing.

*

Hours later, Raihan is woken by the sound of someone pounding on his door.

He blinks, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and reaches for his phone to check the time. It’s one in the morning. Whoever’s knocking, they had better have a good reason for waking him up.

Raihan pulls on some trousers and shambles to the door, opening it up to find —

“Leon?”

Huh.

The champion of Galar looks like a mess. He’s wearing his usual uniform but without the cape. His hair looks ruffled, but less in the sexy windswept way and more like he’d just been thrown out of a hurricane. He looks tired.

Leon pushes inside the flat, because Raihan has never been able to stop him, and asks “Is it true?”

“What are you doing here so damn early?”

“It’s the only time I’ve got in the next three days. _Is it true?_ ”

“Is _what_ true?”

“That you’re leaving. To be the Alolan Champion.”

Raihan locks the door and leans against it, holding his arms loose at his sides. “I haven’t officially decided. But it looks like it, yeah.”

“Why didn’t you tell me before the press did?”

“Didn't think you cared, mate.” He laughs, casually, like it’s more of their mid-battle teasing.

But Leon seems to think differently.

“Well, you know,” he says, “you're the only trainer I consider a rival anymore. If you believe you can make it in Alola, why don’t you prove it right now and battle me?”

And Raihan says —

Well —

“No.”

This seems to leave Leon speechless. He draws back, golden eyes darting toward Raihan’s face and then just as quickly looking away.

“Why not?”

“Mate, it’s one in the bloody morning. My partners are tired. _I’m_ tired. And what are you thinking of getting from this, anyway? Do you think that if you beat me, I’ll change my mind? Because we both know I’m going to lose.”

“You might win this time,” Leon mumbles, but it’s half-hearted and they both know it.

Raihan sighs. “How about this, mate. Why don’t I get us both some water and we can sit down and talk about things, like _adults_?”

He steps forward, toward the kitchen. Leon follows like a lost Yamper.

They’d left the Leon Jar out earlier. Raihan quickly palms it, sparing a glance to make sure the man himself didn’t notice it. When he gets to the kitchen, he shoves it on top of the fridge.

At last, he sits them down in the living room. They’re on opposite sides of the same couch. “So. You have a problem with me leaving?”

Leon wrings his hands. He doesn’t show that kind of nervousness in public, Raihan notes absently. He can’t. A champion has to be confident and alert at all times. But he wrings his hands, now, when they’re alone, when Raihan is the only person who can see it.

“I don’t… Rai, be honest with me. Am I boring you?”

“What?”

“When we’re battling. Am I boring you? I-I try to come up with something new every time, to challenge you, but if it’s not enough we could — we could do something else. I could talk to Rose, ask him if we could try doubles for our next match—”

“ _Leon._ ”

This makes him stop. He looks up, and his golden eyes look very lost.

Raihan sighs. “Leon, it’s not about you. This was entirely my decision, alright? I’m not dissatisfied here, I just — I want...”

He wants his own kingdom. He wants to use Z-Moves again. He wants Leon to be happy for him, to stop staring at him with that expression.

Curse his beautiful eyes.

“I wanna spread my wings a bit. Try something new. It’d be nice to live in a more relaxed region, you know? Maybe I’d get to battle without being treated like a feral Obstagoon.”

“You don’t have to battle like that now. We could come up with something—”

“And maybe I’m tired of being second place. You ever think about that?”

Leon grimaces. He hangs his head, and the brim of his hat covers his eyes. 

Raihan really doesn’t know why he’s upset. Leon is the one who _wins_ , after all. He won Chairman Rose’s approval. He won the champion title. He’s won every battle he and Raihan have ever had since they were teens. He’ll be _fine_.

So why isn’t he acting like it?

“You _are_ leaving because of me. Because of the title, and the league, and how... ridiculous this all is.” Leon holds up a hand to cut off any interruption. “I mean, I hear what you’re saying about wanting to get stronger. I want you to get stronger too! But it’s just — I’m the reason you feel so restless here, right? Because I’m the champion, and you have to always hold back to make _me_ look good. I couldn’t figure out a way to fix that, a-and now you’re leaving. Just like Sonia did.”

Arceus.

It takes a special kind of conceit to expect a rival to stay close forever, especially if they never win. It takes a special kind of conceit to blame oneself for their leaving.

But maybe part of it is Raihan’s fault, for letting things get this far. For diving headfirst into their rivalry, for acting as King Leon’s greatest knight. Being champion means you’re limited in who you can spend time with. It’s not like Leon has any other close friends.

Raihan moves forward, pulling Leon into a hug. His rival hugs back, tightly, like he’s afraid Raihan will leave right this minute if he lets go.

In a year, maybe, they’ll meet again, champion to champion. Maybe they’ll have an exhibition match. Maybe Raihan will even win. Either way, if he leaves, their relationship will never be the same.

He pats Leon’s back, rubbing small circles like he’s comforting a kid brother. “Listen. It’s not like you’ll be all alone. Oleana’s planning for Nessa to be your new rival. You like Nessa, right?”

“She’s okay.” There’s a pout in his voice. “She’s not you, though.”

“Give her a chance, yeah? And, you know, it’s not like Sonia left you, either. I literally saw her yesterday.” Two days ago? Another reason not to have conversations at one in the morning. “She’s following her gran’s footsteps. If you told Rose you were studying Dynamaxing, you could probably see her whenever you wanted.”

“I’ve tried that. She won’t battle me.”

“She’s a grad student, she doesn’t have time for that. There’s more to friendship than battles, anyway. Why don’t you ask what she’s studying? Maybe she’s got info about some Pokémon you’ve never seen before.”

Leon hums an acknowledgement, but doesn’t say anything. Raihan lets the conversation lapse.

They hold each other, quietly, sharing their warmth.

In the silence, Raihan’s thoughts turn to Professor Kukui. A guy that obsessed with moves and leagues has to be a strong trainer, right? He fought Lance, after all. He must be tough.

Is he as tough as Leon?

He thinks about asking for a battle. Just a practice match, just a way to test the waters. Testing himself, to see if he really is champion material. See if he can put up a good enough fight.

“Rai?”

“Huh? Uh, yeah?”

“I think I’m done. Thank you.”

Leon lets go. Raihan lets him go, lets him pull away, lets the sun slip out of his hands.

His (soon-to-be-former?) rival stands, one hand smoothing over his hair.

“I know you said you don’t want to battle, but can we go to your stadium anyway? Charizard is going to miss Duraludon. I want them to have a chance to hang out before you guys go.”

Leon doesn’t know, does he.

Raihan makes a mental note for Aria to let Duraludon train with Leon.

He says, “Let me get my things ready. Then we can go.”


	4. Saturday

Hammerlocke Stadium is empty at this time of night. Or morning. Raihan’s never been quite sure what to call these early hours where the date has technically changed but the sky is still dark.

Of course, he and Leon are the only people there. Raihan unlocks the doors to the pitch, but Leon stands by the lift instead.

“Do you have the keys for this?”

“Uh… yeah, but Rose doesn’t like me going to the plant. He’s got something going on that he won’t tell me about.”

“So you go up there a lot, you mean.”

“Heh. You know me too well.”

It’s no trouble at all to access the lift and go to the energy plant. The room is well-lit, even though nobody is working at this hour. There are the generators, humming along as normal. There are the control panels, with their shiny monitor screens. The room smells like gasoline, and that’s because of the giant purple-black orb in the center of it all.

Rose had once referred to it in a whispered voice as Eternatus. Raihan affectionately calls it the Egg.

“Hiya, Egg,” he says, coming within a close but safe distance. “Leon and I are gonna hang out here for a while. We won’t bother you.”

The Egg hums the same continuous hum it’s had since Rose moved it here. Raihan gives it a nod and a thumb’s up, and turns back to Leon.

For his part, Leon has sent out Charizard and is speaking to it in a low voice.

Raihan sends out Duraludon. It seems confused, but at least it’s not tired; Raihan has found that steel-types and dragons generally don’t need as much sleep as others. When he explains that Leon and Charizard are here for a playdate and not a battle, Duraludon chirps cheerfully. It toddles over to them, and Charizard nuzzles the top of its head.

Meanwhile, Leon stands next to Raihan. “They’re really good friends.”

“I’d hope so. Matches are more fun when your opponent is your friend.”

Leon scratches the back of his neck. “Yeah… Hey, I’m sorry for waking you up over all this.”

“It’s okay. You’re stressed and you can’t imagine going a day without seeing this handsome face. I get it.”

“Ha. Ha. Ha.” He sighs, slumping forward as though too exhausted to stand straight. “I _am_ stressed, though. And it’s because of this thing.”

“What, the Egg? It doesn’t seem like too much of a problem to me.”

“Yeah, because it’s an _egg_. It’s going to hatch at some point— the chairman thinks maybe in the next four years. He talks to me about it all the time, for hours, talking about how this giant destructive Pokemon is going to replace all the energy plants and give Galar electricity for the next three thousand years.”

“Sounds… ambitious.”

“You can call it ridiculous. And I can’t even talk to anyone about it, because it’s supposed to be top secret.” He glances at Raihan out of the corner of his eye. “You’re not gonna tattle on me, right?”

“‘Course not.” The Egg hums. Raihan wonders what kind of Pokemon is inside.

“He seems pretty anxious about it. I try not to get caught up in it, but it’s making me anxious, too. I keep thinking, what if it hatches and we can’t contain it, and it ends up destroying the plant? And I kept telling myself it’ll all be okay as long as you’re here, because this is your place and you could handle anything. I know I can’t make you stay, but...”

Oh, so that’s what this is about. Raihan laces his fingers behind his head, looking at the glowing cords on the floor around the Egg. “I’m sure Rose has everything planned. And if he doesn’t, Oleana definitely does. She never misses anything.”

He’s not going to discuss this any more if he can help it.

“I hope you’re right,” Leon says. “Thanks for hearing me out, at least. I’m sorry for keeping you up. I’ll leave now. Come on, Char, we’re going.”

As Leon flies off, Raihan checks his phone. It’s 2:41 AM. Too early to start the day, too late to go back to sleep.

He heads home and watches Yamper videos until sunrise.

*

At 9:05, his sister calls.

Raihan hadn’t expected her to hear the news. Nasrin was in Johto last he heard, and it’s not like she’s the kind of sister who keeps tabs on him anyway. Still, she took the time zones into account when she called. Raihan answers.

“Hello?”

“You met Professor Kukui?”

“How did you know?

There’s a muffled voice on the other end, then a moment of silence before Nasrin responds. “Sorry, that was the producer telling me I’m on in fifteen. I’m in Alola right now, baby bro. Everybody’s talkin’ about this league the guy’s planning — and then I search his name and find you’re trending on Chattr as the first Alola Champion! How did that happen?”

“It’s a long story. Mum already knows, so you don’t have to tell her. Say, how long are you going to be in Alola, anyway?”

“A month and a half at least. I’m filming for this show, Alola Detective Laki. I’m the police detective. It’s a bit part, but I might be a recurring character if the eps are popular enough… But we’re not talking about me! Are you seriously going to accept the offer?”

Raihan sighs, rolling his head back even though he knows Nasrin won’t be able to see his expression of frustration. “I want to, but since everyone and their mum seems to have already decided that I will, I kind of want to say no.”

“I feel you,” she says. “I support you either way, you know that, right?”

“I know.”

“Well. Good luck with whatever you choose! Let me know, okay?”

“Thanks. I’ll keep in touch, I promise.”

“Love you. Bye!”

*

At 10:15, he calls Oleana.

“Raihan,” she says before he can get past _hello_ , “You have good timing. The chairman wishes to speak to you today. Come to Rose Tower at eleven.”

It’s scary, how Oleana and Rose seem to know everything.

Still, as Raihan is escorted to the office half an hour later, he can’t help but think that this meeting won’t be too anxiety-inducing. He knows what it’s about (theoretically). He has an answer. Hopefully it’s the one Rose wants to hear.

Rose sits at the cluttered desk, Oleana standing beside him.

“Raihan!” he says, full of that understated enthusiasm he wears so often. “I’m glad you could make it. This meeting, of course, is about Professor Kukui’s offer. I trust you’ve given it thorough consideration?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Excellent! Your flight leaves at ten tonight. You’ll be on a private flight, of course—”

“Wait. Wait wait wait. What?”

Oleana sighs, a small breath that Raihan sees rather than hears. “Chairman, you’re getting ahead of yourself again. Why don’t you explain the purpose of the trip?”

“Ah… you’re right. My apologies, Raihan. The truth is, I’ve been talking to the professor, and we decided that it might be good for you to spend a week in Alola. You’ll get to meet the other members of their league, see if your battle style is compatible with theirs. Think of it as a paid holiday.”

“And you want me to go _today_?”

“Professor Kukui goes home today. I thought it would be efficient for you to share a flight.”

Oleana steps in, obviously more understanding of Raihan’s real concern than Rose is. “Your contract states that you will work in whatever city we require of you, given eight hours’ notice. We require you to be in Hau’oli City. This is eleven hours’ notice.”

That clause has only ever been used for minor appearances, things like charity events needing star power or exhibition matches where the original opponent is unable to participate. Raihan wants to point this out, to object, but he knows Oleana won’t allow it.

At least there’s some comfort in knowing this was likely one of Rose’s whims and not something they had planned in advance. 

Raihan says, “Out of curiosity, were you going to ask what my answer was?”

“...I thought you might appreciate more time to decide.”

Raihan shrugs. “That’s fair, I suppose. Which airport do I go to?”

*

That’s how Raihan finds himself packing for a week’s “holiday” and occasionally texting Nessa to vent. Rotom is under strict instructions not to let him post to his social media, because if there’s one rule to being internet famous it’s that posting while angry never ends well.

He explains the situation to Sandaconda and Duraludon as much as he can. He’ll be gone for a week, and they’ll be staying with Aria. Raihan will be back. He’s not abandoning them.

(He’s never thought so deeply on whether Pokémon truly do understand human speech.)

He calls Aria and, after apologizing for the short notice, arranges a meeting to hand over the pokeballs.

It’s only for a week, he tells her. She simply nods.

He gets in a short nap in the afternoon. Then he’s off to the airport, suitcase rolling behind him and an extra phone charger in his pocket.

Professor Kukui is waiting for him. He greets Raihan with a grin. “Alola! I’m glad you could make it!”

Raihan forces a smile and says nothing.

When the plane takes off, he pulls his headband over his eyes and tries to sleep. If Kukui is surprised, he doesn’t say so.

They have eleven hours before they’ll arrive, after all.

Raihan doesn’t know how long he sleeps, but he wakes feeling rested and in a better mood. He stretches, blinking a few times to get his eyes adjusted to the light. Someone’s placed a bottle of water on his tray table. It’s still cold.

As Raihan reaches for it and takes a sip, he sees Kukui look over at him and smile. The professor is writing in a notebook. There’s a cup of something that smells like coffee near him.

“Hey,” Kukui says. “Sleep well?”

“...yeah.”

Kukui fiddles with his pen for a while, clicking it open and closed a few times. “I should apologize for something.”

This gets Raihan’s full attention. He leans across the aisle, as much as he can in the small space.

“I was the one who suggested you spend a week in Alola. Rose seemed really excited about it, and I figured he’d be sending you in the next month or so. I didn’t think he’d make you leave that day.”

He sighs. “Yeah, the chairman’s pretty whimsical like that.”

“I’m sorry.”

Kukui looks so… genuinely apologetic. As much as Raihan would like to be mad at being sent away like this, he can’t really blame the professor for it. Chairman Rose gets excited. He acts on impulse, often without thinking about how his actions would affect others. It’s only too easy to imagine him taking a suggestion and running with it.

Raihan still wonders about one thing, though. “What were the blueprints that Rose was talking about? The ones he asked you to look at.”

“Oh, those?” Kukui picks up his notebook and flips through it, eventually holding up a certain page. It looks like a sketch of a Pokémon Raihan has seen in the Hammerlocke paintings, but on closer inspection it becomes clear the writing is in the Alolan language, not the Galarian one.

“Alola has a legend, see, about a Pokémon called the Blinding One. It’s said to be a being of endless light. Rose was interested in that; he asked a lot of questions about how to use a Pokémon like that. I get the impression that sustainable energy is a passion project for him, yeah?”

“Yeah, that sounds like him.” That explains enough. Of course Rose would think nothing of trading away his best gym leader for the opportunity to fix his energy crisis. Of course.

“We’ll be landing soon,” Kukui says. “Your chairman paid for us both to stay at a nice hotel on Ula’ula, so we’ll be heading there for the night rather than going to my lab. I’m thinking tomorrow I can show you where the league will be built, then introduce you to one of the trial captains and Kahuna Hala, if he isn’t too busy. Does that sound good?”

“Sure.”

*

When the plane lands, the timezone difference means that it’s only 11:00PM. That’s fine by Raihan; he’s ready to go back to sleep and hopefully avoid jet lag.

He follows Kukui out of the airport. “Are you gonna call a taxi, or…?”

“Alola doesn’t have air taxis, exactly, but I did arrange for a couple Ride Pokémon. Look over there.”

Down the road where Kukui is pointing, a Charizard and a Flygon stand in wait. They’re wearing harnesses. Kukui comes up to the Charizard and pats its face, then climbs on like it’s nothing at all.

“The Flygon’s for you,” he says, “I assume you know how to ride?”

“I — I do, but…”

But he usually doesn’t use a harness when riding _his_ Flygon. And Leon never stops to look if he’s following when they go flying.

“But?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.” Raihan follows suit. He’s a little hesitant about putting his full weight on the Pokémon, but of course Flygon doesn’t seem to have any problem carrying him. Dragons are strong like that.

The air is warmer here, even as high up as they fly. Kukui seems to be navigating, pointing when he wants Charizard to turn, and Flygon follows. Raihan holds on, but his mind is elsewhere. He stares at Charizard’s back, at its rider. He can almost feel the chill of Hammerlocke Hills.

They land in the parking lot of a moderately-sized hotel. Kukui helps him down, which isn’t necessary but is appreciated, and then sends the Ride Pokémon away.

“I’ll go get the keys,” Kukui says.

“Thanks. You mind if I wait outside for a bit? The weather’s nice.”

“It is, isn’t it? I’ll be right back.”

As soon as Kukui turns his back, Raihan pulls out his phone and takes it off airplane mode. Eleven hours means a lot of notifications to catch up with, and some of them might even be important.

He scrolls for a while. Then, somewhere in the dark, there is the sound of footsteps.

Raihan is not afraid of being alone at night. He’s nearly seven feet tall and has a team of dragons, so there are few people who would try to mess with him.

As the person comes into the light, however, it appears that he may be one of those few.

He’s tall, maybe as tall as Raihan himself. A pair of asymmetrical glasses rests on messy white hair. He carries himself like someone used to getting his way. When the man pulls his hands out of his pockets, Raihan notices there is blood on the knuckles.

“So you’re the guy Kukui flew across the world to get, huh?” the man asks. “My name’s Guzma. Maybe you’ve heard of me.”

**Author's Note:**

> catch me on tumblr @samsonet or on Twitter @samsonet3 !


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